Gravity feed oiler



Aug, 22, 1933- L. L. ARMANTROUT ET A1. l,923,857

GRAVITY FEED OILER Filed May 5l, 1930 5y @Jim/ZUM ATTOE NEYS into the upper interior portion of the oiler to Patented Aug. 22, 1933 TENT orties GRM/rrr FEED oILER Lynn L. Armantrout, Minneapolis, and Clarence R. McCue, Rochester, Minn.

Application Maly 31, v1930. serial N5. 457,770 a pimms.;v V(c1. isi- 10p This invention relates to improvements in oilers of the gravity type feed adapted to automatically maintain a constant levelv of oil in oil reservoirs such asV are usedV in connection with 5 various types of bearings, gearV cases and'crank cases.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic oilercomprising a suitable container having a single outlet whichA is situated in the bottom thereof and provided witha closure having anoil feed pipe secured thereto and adapted to be inserted into an uprightV cylindrical Supporting memberor casing suitablyconnect- .ed.:with the oil reservoir of lthe bearingfto be oiled, anda vent pipe being mounted within-the oilfeed pipe and projecting upwardly into vthe container for the purpose of supplying' air vto the upper portion-thereof to prevent the formation of a vvacuum in the upper portion of .the container, as the oil vis fed from the container, and the relative location of the lower ends of the vent pipe and said feed pipe determining Vthe level of the oil in the oil reservoir.

' A further object is toprovide a gravity feed oiler comprising an oil feedpipe having a comparatively small vent tube located therein, the lower'end of whichis adapted for communication with'the atmosphereby means of suitable .1

ducts, `as the oil level lowers in the oil reservoir, whereby air may enter said tube for delivery break the vacuum tending to form therein.

A further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive voiler of the above character which readily lends itself for use with either light or heavy oil to automatically maintain the oil in the reservoir at a constant level, and the oiler being provided with av suitable sight gauge whereby an attendant may conveniently note the level of the oil in the reservoir.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawing and will be vpointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of vthe invention, `but it is to bev Figure 2 is an exterior view of the lower portion of the oiler showingthe oil sight gauge;

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Y Figure 4 is a view showing the vent tube re- 60 moved from the oiler; and 'Figure 5 is a perspective view showing only the glass tube constituting the oil sight Vgauge of the oiler.

In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown, for purposes of disclosure, Athere is illustrated in Figure 1, a common type of bearing including a lower part 2 and an upper or bearingcap 3 between which a suitable bearing `sleeve 4 is shown mounted. An oil reservoir 5 70 is provided in thebearing and an oil ring 6 is shown mounted in a slot 7 in the bearing sleeve and supported upon the shaft 8 in the usual manner with the lower portion submerged in vthe oil contained in the reservoir 5. When the shaft 8 is rotated, oil will beidelivered frorn'the reser voir onto theshaftby rotation of the `oilring 6. The Vnovel oiler featured in .this invention is shown supported upon a'suitable fitting. 9, se' cured'to the lower part 2 of the bearing and communicating with the oil reservoir 5. The opposite end of fthe-'fitting 9 terminates ina head.11, having'an interiorly threaded portion 12 adapted to receive a cylindricalcasing or member 13, preferably of metal.

The upper end of the 'casing 13 is shown threaded and adapted to receive a portion 18 of the closure 14. The closure has a threaded flange 15 adapted to receive the neck 16 of a suitable container 17, which preferably is made of glass so that the oil contained therein may readily be seen. 5

An oil feed pipe 19 is Ymounted in the central portion 13 of the rclosure 14, and depends into a glass tube 21 suitably secured within the casing 95 13. The glass tube may have its lower end i seated upon an annular shoulder 22 and its upper end engaged with*` the face of the central portion 18 or" the closure, so that when the clos-V ure is screwed tightlyv into the upper end of the casing 13, Vthe glass tube will be clamped between the shoulder 22 and the portion 18, as will readily v be understood by reference to Figure 1.

A suitable gasket may be provided at the bottom of the glass tube 21 to prevent leakage. 1 05 Suitable vent holes 23 are provided in the upper portion of the casing 13 adapted to register with suitable notches or vents 24 provided at the upper end of the glass tube 21, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5.

Ari important feature of this invention resides in the means provided for admitting air into the upper portion of the container 1.7 to prevent a vacuumA from forming therein. during operation of the oiler. VSuch means is shown in Figure 1 and consists of a small vent pipe 25 adapted to be supported within ,the feed pipe '19 by suitable spacing elements 26 preferably s ecured to the periphery of the pipe 25, and each preferably provided with a shoulder 27 adapted 'to be seated against the upper inner surfaceiof the closure 14 as shown in Figurel. The spacing elements 26 axially vlocate the Vent Apipe25 within the feed pipe 19 so as to :provide anannular oil passage 28 through which the oil 'from the container 17 iiows by gravity into the fitting 9. The elevation of the "lower end of the verrt pipe determines the level of the oil in the reservoir 5. The lower end of the vent pipe 25 is preferably ali-ned with the lower end of .the feed pipe, as shown'in Figure 1.

'The oiler featured in. this inyention readily lends itself for use in connection with alllgrades of'l-uzbricating `oils whether light -.or heavy. Be-

cause of the vent pipeibeing'situated within the feed pipe 19 and having ,its lower .end terminattion to; take place at. the lower end of the vent pipe. This suction, however, is not suflcent -to lift the .oil upwardly into the pipe because of i the.inherentcharacteristic of vthe .oilrto adhere .tothe walls of the. tube, thereby .causing small .quantities of air to be drawn .around the lower edge ofthe `feed pipe 19 in the form of bubbles,

through `,the body of .oil at that pgint, and 'into' -the lower end of .the `vent pipe.,. This indrawn -air vwill iiow upwardly lthrough the pipe 2,5 Yand into the upper portion of the container and thus .breakv :the vacuum tending .to form therein, with the result that additional .oil will iiowthrough .the feed pipe19 to restore the .oil lin, the reser- Voir 5 to its-normal level. [It has been found a comparatively heavy oil as well as with a lightl oil. This results because of the relatively short distance through which the air drawn into the 'upper portion of the container must travel. through the oil before reaching the upper portion of the container.

The oiler is very simple in construction and may be manufactured at a minimum cost. To rell, the closure 14 with the container attached thereto, as shown in Figure 1., is unscrewed from the upper end of the: casing 13, whereby. the container and closure including the oil tube 19 and vent pipe 25y may be" detached from the casing 13. ,The `closure 14 is then removed from the vcontainer and the latter lled with a suitable lubricant, after which the closure is secured to the container and the parts returned to the position shown in Figure 1, whereupon the oiler immediately becomes operative.

. We claim .as our. invention.:

, A1, ,In an oiiing device, an oil container, a ielosure cap therefor having a hole therethrough .and :a downwardly extended portion ,around the hole., an oil feed tube said hole, :a metal cylinder attached to the downwardly extended por- 100 :tion v`of the .closure cap,v .a transparent cylinder Yinside .of .the metal cylinder, .and .abutting :said

downwardly extendedportion .of the closure cap, `said metal oylinder having a sight opening opposite the bottom vof the feed pipe and a vent pipe 105 .extending from lnear the bottom of the oil feed pipe 'toV approximately the top of the container.

2, An oiling .device comprising a container, a

closure cap for the .container having :a icentral V.downwardly extending portion, a casing detach- 110 .able from .but` connecting .said portion with the fittings .of a .bearing to .be lubricated, an oil feed pipe extending downwardly from said central portion of the closure cap yand a Vent pipe loosely f namg within ineen reed pipe and ext-.ending .110115 approximately the top of the container and means for retaining :the lvent pipe the feed pipe vwhereby said container, elosure cap, feed pipe and vent pipe may :be removed from the casing as a unit. v

. LYNN L, ARMANTROUT.

rCLARENCE R. McCUE.. 

